Coheed & Cambria - The Second Stage Turbine Blade (2002) [Reissue 2005]

Emotional band Coheed and Cambria's e-mail address uses the term "soft core," and that's not really accurate. The term molten core works better, as debut The Second Stage Turbine Blade lacks fluff and accentuates the same positives that made emo pioneers Fugazi great, not the least of which is a willingness to experiment. In this New York crew's case, this deviation comes from adding a prog rock feel to the proceedings, a facet highlighted by vocalist Claudio Sanchez's impossibly high vocal range at least as much as the technical riffing and fearless approach to soloing and other expressive playing techniques, hardcore politics be damned. Like most progressive fare, the C and C music factory occasionally sins in the name of its art, often doing in five minutes what could have been accomplished in three, but the mere fact that the group takes pride in knowing more than three chords is impressive.